Large boats commonly tow or carry a smaller boat or dinghy for use as a tender to the larger boat and an outboard motor is commonly used as a means of propulsion for the dinghy. Usually when the larger boat is under way or the dinghy is otherwise not being utilized, most operators prefer that the outboard motor is removed from the tender and stored on the boat to minimize the risk of losing or damaging the outboard motor. Unfortunately, for many boaters and boats, various combinations of the weight of the outboard motor, obstacles such as rigging and railings, wave-induced motion of both vessels and/or the physical capabilities of the boaters can make any lifting of the outboard motor from the dinghy and the subsequent return of the outboard motor to the dinghy difficult.
One solution to this problem is the use of a lifting device such as a crane or davit installed on the boat to provide the power or mechanical advantage for lifting or lowering the weight of the outboard motor. Such devices occupy space on the deck, railing or transom of the boat, and may impede the use of particular locations of the boat or simply detract from the aesthetic appearance of the boat. Moreover such systems may not be accommodated on some boats where the required deck or railing space is not available. Still further, such existing lifting devices often do not provide good stabilization of the outboard motor movement relative to the boat due to various factors including wave-induced motion of the boat. In this case, collision between the outboard motor and the main boat can result, causing damage to either or both. Further still, the costs of purchase and installation of such devices is elevated due to the mechanisms required and mechanical forces involved.
There is also a significant concern for many boaters, particularly older and physically less-capable boaters, of recovering a person who may have fallen overboard at sea. For many man-overboard victims, either as a result of the time spent in the water and/or their physical limitations, they are incapable of assisting themselves when a recovery vessel has come alongside to retrieve them from the water. In these situations, the people on the recovery vessel must be able to lift a potentially incapacitated and very heavy person on board. Still further, particularly in rough seas, there is a significant risk of injuring the victim against the sides of the vessel.
While many boats have existing hoisting mechanisms such as sail halyards and winches which can be used as a means for lifting or lowering a heavy load such an outboard motor or a person, the use of such systems on their own do not provide a means for controlling both the lateral and vertical movement of the load which will often result in an unsafe handling of the load.
As a result, there has been a need for an improved system for lifting and controlling heavy loads onto boats and particularly, for ease of handling of outboard motors and other loads such a person who has fallen overboard.
A review of the prior art reveals that various lifting systems have been designed and utilized in the past for boats for lifting and handling cargoes such as outboard motors as well as man-overboard recovery systems. For example, Forespar Products (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) market various davit lifting systems for outboard motors such as the Motor Mate™ system. As well, there are numerous man-overboard products on the market that aid in the recovery of a man-overboard victim.
A review of the patent literature reveals U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,179, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,708, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,770, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,559, U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,423, U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,627, U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,345, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,618, U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,481, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,835, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,382 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,307 which relate to various outboard motor handling equipment.
However, these systems do not provide simple but effective systems for controlling both the vertical and lateral movement of the load towards and onto the vessel.